Gintech to open 350MW Thailand cell factory

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Taiwanese crystalline silicon cell manufacturer Gintech Energy is to build a 350MW cell production facility in Thailand.

The PV cell supplier has established a Thailand-based subsidiary under the name Gintech (Thailand) and is to invest around US$45 million in the facility’s first phase to cover the costs of land acquisition, construct and equipment.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Taiwanese cell manufacturers have been under pressure to relocate production capacity overseas to avoid the latest anti-dumping measures imposed by the US on Chinese solar imports, which include equipment manufactured using cells made in Taiwan. The impact of the US duties has been a key factor in falling sales reported by Taiwanese cell manufacturers in recent months.

Gintech expects the factory to be operation before the end of the year and start commercial production in Q1 2016.

Dr Wen-Yen Pan, chairman and CEO at Gintech Energy, said the factory’s establishment would help diversify the company’s production capacity and leverage its resources more effectively.

“We expect Gintech (Thailand) to be profitable when it reaches full utilisation, given Thailand’s lower labour, land and facility costs and favourable investment environment, while the average selling prices of cells made in Thailand are currently more than 20% higher than prevailing market prices of cells made in China and Taiwan due to trade barriers,” he said.

Gintech president and COO Dr Wen-Whe Pan said that Thailand would serve as an “ideal base” for the company to serve emerging markets in the Asia Pacific region and would help it expand on the company’s existing talent pool.

Taiwan-based Gintech last month reported that its solar cell sales in March fell to the lowest level in more than two years, falling almost 26% sequentially to NT$832 million (US$26.6 million).

Gintech is the first Taiwanese cell producer to establish meaningful capacity outside Taiwan and the first to Taiwanese cell producer to select Thailand as a manufacturing base. 

China-based integrated PV manufacturer'sTalesun and Trina Solar have both recently selected Thailand for their first overseas production plants, while JinkoSolar has selected Malaysia.

Taiwanese cell producers such as Neo Solar Power and Motech Industries have both indicated they were reviewing options to locate production outside Taiwan but have yet to make any formal announcements. 

Read Next

July 4, 2025
Chinese PV provider Skycorp Solar Group has announced a solar plant acquisition and development strategy following unanimous board approval.
July 4, 2025
Germany’s latest innovation tender has awarded 488MW of co-located capacity, with all the projects being solar PV tied with energy storage.
July 4, 2025
Risen Energy’s mass-produced heterojunction (HJT) modules have reached a cell conversion efficiency of 26.61%, a record figure for the company.
July 4, 2025
The US House of Representatives has passed the final version of the reconciliation bill that is now going to US President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature before its passing.
July 4, 2025
Australian retailer AGL Energy has confirmed its acquisition of South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant (SAVPP) from Tesla.
July 3, 2025
Renewable energy curtailment in Brazil is set to reach 8% across the country, and be as high as 11% in the north-east, by 2035.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK